Nature and wilderness are a pristine, unpolluted place to find solitude. I have a thing about hiking in and exploring ecological reserves, with their intact natural beauty, native flora and fauna. You can learn the story of a place not just by what is placed there, but from what was there all along, before any development ever took place. Several of these wild places are found throughout socal, and today I was going to explore a new one, along the Blue Sky Trail.
I arrived at the parking area for Blue Sky Ecological Reserve about 9:45 am. I had done a bit of research online, and found the reserve was open from sunrise to sunset, during this time of the year, and that the parking was also free.
The trailhead was well marked with signage. There were two entry points from the parking area. There is one on the south side of the lot, but I chose to enter the one located at the center of the parking lot, heading eastward along the trail.
As I hiked on I was greeted by native chaparral, scrub, and brush along the path, as I headed towards the wilderness foothills of Poway.
After a minute or two, I came upon a small amphitheater, designed for naturalist talks with school groups, with interpretive signs, sculptures and mosaics surrounding it.
I followed the signage for the overlook trail for about 10 minutes, taking in the valley views.
I came to a stairway, heading downhill, which would link up to the main trail.
I began my hike down the main trail into the heart of Blue Sky Reserve, greeted by coastal live oaks. The trail was shaded which was welcome as it was warming up fast.
I love the way trees come in every shape and design imaginable, and feel inspired by their many forms.
I designed to explore Creekside Trail which runs alongside the wider main trail, and see what it was all about.
Along the trail were the remnants of some sort of plumbing system, possibly a water pump from yesteryear.
The trail was narrow and felt much more like a nature trail, with the light filtering through the canopy.
The trees completely covered the leaf covered path, creating a tunnel, which helped it continue to remain nice and cool as I walked on.
Soon I arrived back at the main trail, continuing onward, where it was much more sunny.
Again, the majestic oaks were putting on a show, and each one had its own unique vibe.
I had not seen many hikers on the trail, but there were a few. Most people seemed to be trail running. The paths seemed flat and maintained, so that made sense.
The trail would rotate between sun and shade, as I entered another canopy of oaks, edging closer to the turnoff, for Lake Poway. An alternate option, with more uphill, was Lake Ramona. Today, I had settled on Lake Poway, for a 6 mile loop.
Around 10:15 am, I made it to the turnoff, making a right, bound for Lake Poway.
The trail, which had been mostly flat so far, now began to steepen a bit, and the uphill climb began.
Then it flattened again briefly, as I crossed a sunny and exposed much more open area with mountain views all around.
I arrived at the gate, where I would leave the reserve, entering into the Lake Poway land.
There was a shady picnic area just past the gate, where I noticed someone reading a book on a bench under the trees.
After another .25 mile or so up the trail, I made a left, heading up along the Lake Poway Trail, which would continue to gradually steepen even more.
As I headed uphill I spotted the boulder strewn peaks surrounding Lake Ramona, with its dam section visible in the distance.
The views got even better the higher I climbed.
Soon the blue waters of Lake Poway were visible down below.
By 10:45 am I had reached the high point of my hike, somewhere around the midpoint of the lake, and was feeling pretty good.
I hiked on, passing a small shaded picnic area at an overlook for the lake.
There was along an interpretive sign along the trail, with some information about the recreation area here, the trout season, and the camping sites which are available, which was helpful.
Eventually I was at the point where the trail links up to the Mount Woodson trail, which I had hiked once before, to Potato Chip Rock. That trail is completely exposed and gets very warm, as I remember it.
Lake Poway is a beautiful lake from afar, and an important water storage for local residents who utilize its water. Up close the lake has a fair amount of algae. I don’t know that I would want to swim here or if that is allowed.
I continued along the south side of the lake, where there was one more climb.
The rocky mountain landscape here is characteristic of that of much of San Diego County. Several trails I have explored have this kind of scenery, such as the Pacific Crest Trail, Big Laguna Trail, Mount Gower, Bernardo Mountain, Volcan Mountain, Mission Trails Regional Park, and Iron Mountain, which also happens to be in Poway.
I reached the other side of the reservoir, hiking the trail which runs alongside the beach. I noticed many people sitting, enjoying the tranquil lakeside views.
The recreation area lakeside park is filled with shady trees, grass and park benches. I parked right by it, when I hiked to Mount Woodson.
Around the center of the lake is a small fishing dock, filled with fishermen.
Beyond this was a boat launch and lots of migratory birds such as ducks and coots swimming, with a crowd gathered around them feeding them.
There is a fun spot for photos just beyond this, with the giant chairs.
There would be one last short climb along the west side of the lake, before the trail would dip back down to the Blue Sky Reserve.
I noticed a plaque outlining the history here at the dam, by one last stairway leading back down to another lakeside fishing spot.
It was 11:30 am, and I had fully circumnavigated Lake Poway, with just two miles to go of my hike before I would be back at the trailhead.
I headed downhill into the reserve, enjoying another round of beautiful mountain views.
There are numerous interpretive signs along the trail, which would make this an awesome educational hike for anyone interested in learning more about it.
Back nearing the starting point was a place to outstretch your arms and see how you measure up with the locals.
I ended my hike by hiking back towards the end of the trail toward where it meets the road, and dead-ends at the parking area. I made a quick right into the south side of the parking area, entering it on the opposite side than where I started from.
All in all if was a beautiful day outside in nature. Until next time Blue Sky Ecological Reserve!
About the Reserve
The 598 acre Blue Sky Ecological Reserve is located within the valley foothills of Poway, California. The reserve is filled with majestic coast live oaks. The lake is a reservoir, with a trail winding its way around it. One side of the lake has a sandy beach, grassy shady areas to sit and picnic, along with a dock with boat rentals. Several native species of birds are found here, such as red-shouldered hawk, American kestrel, and California gnatcatcher here. Migratory birds take advantage of the lake and there were hundreds of ducks and coots swimming in the water here. You can learn more about the park at Lake Poway here and visiting the reserve here.
I hope you enjoyed reading this, and it is helpful in knowing what to expect, should you decide to visit here.
Leave No Trace
Just be sure to come prepared and follow Leave No Trace principles to keep the wilderness pristine for future hikers.
About me
I’m Serafina! I’m a writer and California girl who loves to go exploring. Hope you will get outside today, breathe some fresh air, and be happy!
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